PHY 510 -- Mathematical Methods of Physics I -- Fall 2009

The material covered in the course will roughly be as specified in the course description.

Textbook: G.A. Arfken and H.J. Weber, Mathematical Methods for Physicists.

For problem sets, which will be posted, I use the sixth edition, but as long as you keep in mind that the numbers of the problems might have changed, you can use an earlier edition too. Much of what we do is not in any of either of these books anyway.

The grade will be determined by the average of unit exams more or less corresponding to sets of chapters of the textbook and one or two numerical projects, which I will post once we get going. The projects will be written assuming that you will use Mathematica, which is available in the department. You may choose to use other another language, but you will not have the benefit of many of the hints and ready-for-use subroutines that may be contained in the project write-up. In other words, you will be on your own, if you choose this option.

Click here for a subset of suggested exercises, to be supplied as we go along.

Project I is in final, but poorly proof-read form and can be found here. The due date will be announced. Projects should be submitted electronically.

Here is project II. (It's been there for a while, but I forgot to create a link.) This project will be a work --the sooner you start the better-- and it is due at the end of the semester; we shall discuss the details in class.